People ride bikes through the intersection of Linden and Willow Streets in the Poudre River District, Fort Collins. / Dawn Madura/The Coloradoan

Written by

After a year-long search for a new bike manager to lead the city to the next level of bike-friendliness, the city has announced, for the second time, it has narrowed its search to the finalists.

The City of Fort Collins has selected four candidates for the position of manager of the city’s bikes program known as FC Bikes, and is providing the public an opportunity to meet them in person.

From 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Mar. 21 at the Development Review Center, 281 N. College Ave. the city will hold an open house where the public can meet the remaining candidates and offer feedback, said Aaron Iverson, interim FC Moves program manager.

Iverson declined to disclose the candidates names based on their current work situations.

The job, which pays between $5,513 and $7,692 monthly, calls for someone to manage and lead FC Bikes including planning, policy development , safety education and encouragement programs, according to the 5-page job description.

Molly North has been the FC Bikes interim coordinator since former coordinator Dave "DK" Kemp's departure in January, 2012 for a job in Davis, Calif., as the bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for that city. North referred all questions to Iverson.

In May 2012 the city released the original job description for the new bike manager position. The job post called for an experienced program manager and public relations coordinator to lead the FC Bikes program. The full-time position falls under the direction of the director of Transportation Planning and Special Projects. The position paid between $4,923 to $6,868 monthly at that time.

In August, 2012 the city narrowed its search to three finalists for the position: Kristin Bennett, senior transportation planner for the city of Colorado Springs; Jennifer Campos, a senior planner for the city of Vancouver, Wash.; and North.

None of the finalists were hired.

At the time Karen Cumbo, director of Planning, Development and Transportation with the city of Fort Collins, said she made the decision not to hire any of the three finalists who interviewed for the position because none of them fulfilled the requirements. Cumbo said she would look at this year's budget for the position before planing to make a hire.

While hopeful they will make a hire this time, Iverson said there is always a chance they may not again.

North applied a second time for the position, but was not selected for the interview process, Iverson said. While he said North has done well in her interim role, they are looking for a bike manager who will bring more experience and knowledge from somewhere else in the country.

He said North will assume a new role as the FC Bike Program Specialist when a new manager is hired. The new position, yet to be defined, will focus on education and planning.